REPORT AND STUDY ON ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.

SEC. 1104. REPORT AND STUDY ON ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.(a) Study Required.—The Secretary of Education shall conduct a study to review the articulation agreements at State-supported college and university systems, including junior or community colleges, as well as those at other institutions of higher education. Such study shall consider—(1) the extent to which States and institutions have developed and implemented articulation agreements;(2) with respect to the articulation agreements developed—(A) the number and types of institutions participating in articulation agreements;(B) the cost-savings to the participating institutions and to the students;(C) what strategies are being employed, including common course numbering, general education core curriculum, and management systems;(D) the effective use of technologies to contain costs, maintain quality of instruction, and inform students; and(E) a description of the students to whom the articulation agreements are offered and, to the extent practicable, a description of the students who take advantage of the articulation agreements;(3) best practices and innovative strategies employed to implement effective articulation agreements; and(4) barriers to the implementation of articulation agreements, including technological and informational barriers.(b) Report.—The Secretary of Education shall submit to the authorizing committees an interim report on the study required by subsection (a) not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act and a final report on such study not later than January 1, 2013.